Valentine's at CC
by BbuLeu
Summary: It's Valentine's day, but it's not our Saiyan Prince and Galm Heiress who has their day ruined. It's also a day for the longest married couple on the show...


_Okay. Think, if I really owned DBZ, why would I be writing FANfiction? Everything I'd write would be put in the show as well as yours truthfully, flying around and turning SSj and jumping the hot guys... um okay. That sounded weired. And because I'm not, it measn I don't own it. Akira Toryama does!_

**A/N:** I never though I'd write a V-day fic. I don't believe in it myself, BUT today this thing just popped in my head and I HAD to write it! :D

BTW includes lyrics to Bobby Darin's _You're The Reason I'm Living_. It's Beautiful, and non of these over used modern pop stuff.

_Enjoy! **R&R** to let me know :)_

Everybody knows he didn't like holidays. Heck, he loathed them, seeing them as an excuse for people to spew out their deepest emotions just because it was expected of them. It seemed very year more and more money was wasted on buying presents. Of course they didn't mean anything anymore, but something was better than nothing, even if the meaning behind it was superficial. He hated how every last person seemed blind to that.

And he hated how repetitive they were.

"Foolish humans," Vegeta grumbled. His thumb continued to skip through the hundreds of channels on the television but he quickly gave up. Nothing but re-runs of news and sickening chick flicks that made his toes curl. Though for most of the day he had avoided it all in the GR, his aching muscles begged him to stop and it was late afternoon when, freshly showered, he could rest on the sofa at last. Now he wished he could crawl back to training again, if it weren't for his heavy legs.

His wife ambled through the door, still in her work suit though her shiny heels were long gone. She was tired too, he could tell by the way she rubbed her neck and took no great care when sitting down, sitting on the arm and letting herself fall back. He head landed perfectly on his lap, trapping him or as she would call it, 'relaxing together'.

"Where's are the kids?"

"The two brat boys are upstairs as always. You didn't mention that the midget's girl was staying too," he growled.

She said in a deadpan voice "Yeah, but it was only arranged this morning. What'cha watching?"

"There's nothing on but crap today."

"Oh, what else do you expect?" she smiled. "It _is _Valentines day."

His only response was to continue flicking through the channels again.

"Well, are you going to ask how my day's been?" she asked with a poke of his arm.

"I don't need to; I know you want to tell me anyway."

She frowned at his lack of interest but continued. "It was pretty normal… until the post hour came. God, I've never seen so many Valentine cards!" She clasped her hands to her chest. "And some of them were sooo romantic!"

He shrugged and looked forward to glare at a pair of untalented actors embraced each other with phoney words. "You're the head of the biggest company in the world. Suuuure they were romantic," he drawled out.

"Okay, maybe not _romantic _per say, but some of them were quite graphic." She gave him a sideways look. "Too graphic to be read aloud."

That caught his attention and she resisted the urge to laugh when he looked right at her. "How many?"

"374," she said haughtily. "179 of them were raunchy. But maybe you'd know exactly how many, because it's the sort of thing you would do-"

She stopped suddenly and bit her lip. No, it wasn't the sort of thing Vegeta would do because he would never send her a Valentines card, or any card, for that matter. That had always been the case and after all the years Bulma and Vegeta had been together, she could find herself accepting it. Better that than fight about it. But there was still a part of Bulma that thought every year would be different, especially as this was the first one after Buu.

He grunted with annoyance as he got up, saying something about getting some food. Now sitting up, Bulma mentally slapped herself for her mistake but was still somewhat pleased with the fact that he had bypassed what would have been a sore topic for the prince. _Better than quarrelling, I guess_.

Vegeta had come to the same conclusion as he stalked down the expanse corridor towards the kitchen. A part of him felt better in having just walked away rather than fighting (_I'm getting soft. Damn, when did that happen?) _but suddenly an uneasy feeling came over him when a familiar Ki was also travelling around the compound and, unluckily for him, heading to the same room as he was.

His mother in law. He shuddered. Forget sending a super Saiyan into batter, just send her; the enemy would probably blow an energy beam through their skull after one hour.

He walked through the main archway just seconds before she walked in another way but too late, she had already seen him and came bouncing over before he could get away. "Oh, hello Vegeta! My it's been a while-"

"-Two days." _And not long enough_, he mentally added. Not that the blonde would have heard him anyway.

"-Could I get you anything, sweetie? How about that toasted sandwich you like so much with all the different kinds of meat? You sit down-" Here she tapped his arm in the direction of the table- "and I'll be done with it in a flash, you'll see."

Shrugging, the Saiyan flopped down at the table, willing to stand a few minutes of babble for his rather delicious snack. To be brutally honest, her cooking was the one thing he almost missed about the old folks living here. By the fridge, the ingredients started to pile high in Bunny's arms "I just thought I'd come along to see how you all are today, that's all. I'm sure that my husband would have come along too if he had come back in time…"

Vegeta had been in a world of his own when she started gibbering again but as the silence grew thicker, he quickly look3ed over at her. He was at a loss of words himself as he tried to remember the last time the ditz had trailed off mid-sentence. He couldn't.

Her small body started to tremor but it wasn't from the chill as she hid her face in the fridge. Suddenly, with a clatter that made even Vegeta jump, all the ingredients was crashing to the ground as the woman threw her head back and wailed. And he thought Bulma was loud.

He winced as her pitch grew higher with each passing second and he glanced at the door. Even if her eyes were shut most of the time, her vision was based off movement, which is why he raised slowly out of his chair and, keeping one eye on her, he crept back the way she came.

He stormed back into the living room where his own woman was getting into a cheesy movie. Right as the protagonist was about to kiss his love, the TV clicked off. "Hey, I was watching- what the hell, Vegeta?" she shouted as he roughly pulled her upright. With one hand on her shoulder, he roughly guided her down the hall and into the kitchen, ignoring her attempts to curse him.

This time, Bunny had been sitting down at the table and was using her apron as a hankie for her tears. Immediately, Bulma pulled herself out of her husband's grasp rushed to her side. Like everyone else, it was hard to watch her mother cry.

"Oh, Bulma!" she choked. "Your father told me he'd be home this morning, but there's a storm and it's not safe for him to fly!"

"He can't help that, mum." She looked over her shoulder but as she expected, Vegeta was already gone. She had actually wanted to ask him when Bunny had broken down like this.

"I know that, baby, but I- I just can't… _help it!"_ she moaned and noisily blew her nose.

After a few minutes of sniffles and comforting words, Bunny seemed to be finally calming down, only the occasional hiccup escaping.

"You know, I think I'm just like this because this is the first time ever he's not been my Valentine," she sighed. "Your father and I might not be as active as you youngsters" (Bulma couldn't help but cringe at the thought) "but we still celebrate today in our own little way. Look what I found," she added. Standing up, Bunny twirled around to show off her baby pink dress, off the shoulders and a perfect 50's shaped skirt. There was a white silk bow at the back was from a shimmering silk belt that perfectly showed off her waist and the shoes, cute little dolly heels, were also white and incredibly shiny. Bulma also noticed how her mother's hair, still blonde despite her age, was even curlier than usual.

Instead of smiling, like she would usually have done, Bulma sighed with a forlorn expression. Bunny was pretty all of the time but when she tried she could look stunning, yet her father was nowhere to be seen. A few days ago he had eagerly left to visit an old friend ('a lads weekend', hence why Bunny was still here) and was meant to be back this morning. Both women could easily picture the look of surprise, and indeed adoration, on his face had he been welcomed by this sight.

That little surprise was ruined because of some storm that would knock even her father's jet from the sky. As much as Bulma didn't celebrate Valentine's Day anymore, it didn't mean that everyone else's had to be ruined as well. Heck, that's why all the kids were shacked up at hers tonight.

Suddenly, a bright idea popped into her head. She watched her mother again attempt to wipe away any un-lady like mess form her pale face before excusing herself for a moment. She knew for a fact that Vegeta wasn't going to risk staying downstairs again, so she all but ran up to their room and saw him lounging on the bed instead with his eyes shut. Someone else would have thought he was asleep, but Bulma knew. She slapped his stomach while at the same time ordering him to get up.

"No woman. I already know you want something and I sure as hell don't care right now."

"Oh trust me, if you don't get off your royal butt and help me then you'll wish that you've cared!"

He opened one dark eye to gaze upon the look of utter frustration on her face, her angry puffs had caused some stray blue strand of hair to flop onto her face. "What's in it for me?"

"Name it. I just really want my dad home _tonight_," she spat out.

He opened both eyes at her quick agreement to do anything, and he hadn't even stated it yet. "You're serious about this, aren't you woman?"

"I'd rather every GR to blow up at the same time than to see her upset, Vegeta. I wouldn't ask for your help is I didn't need it. Please?" Her eyes gleamed as she begged. To her joy, she saw his head ever so slightly nod, even if he was pinching the bridge of his nose.

…

Fifteen minutes later saw him flying toward one place he still resented to go to. Kakarrot's little dome house nestled amidst the mountains. Icy drops of rain fleeted across his face but that wasn't the reason for his intense scowl . It was him dreading the door opening. When little Goten had turned up at the Briefs' doorstop that morning, he carried with him a warning note written by Chichi.

_Do not disturb! I mean it Bulma, this is the first Valentine's Day in seven years that Goku's been home and nothing short of catastrophe is going to distract him! _

And Bulma conveniently couldn't come with him. Something about distracting her mum, but she practically shoving him out of the door in to the frosty wet sky to face the two people he couldn't stand the most.

Vegeta landed a few feet from the door and extinguished his bleu energy aura, not realising how much it kept out the elements until it was gone. He grumbled as he stood by the door, the little dome managing to protect him from the worst of the wind, though his mood was growing more and more stormy by the minute. He knew for a fact that Kakarrot could sense him of course. If raised high enough, they could sense each other from their own houses, yet the fool refused to answer when he, the prince, was stood in the rain?

Without knocking, Vegeta all but barged the door down and marched in, shouting for the other Saiyan as he did. For a man who known as the defender of the earth, he could be really slow sometimes, if not physically, then mentally. He had one chance to quickly scan the place- the table and kitchen were a mess, mainly empty dishes but there was the odd chocolate bar- _wait, what?_ Creaking on the stairs brought him back and his eyes fell on Goku, wrapped in a green dressing gown with a confused smile on his face.

"Vegeta? What brings you here?" the younger man asked as he took the last few steps down.

He was about to reply when there was furious banging from upstairs. The stairs shuddered with what sounded like an elephant tripping down them before Chichi, in her lilac robe, literally ran past her husband and cemented her pale hands on her waist.

"YOU! What the hell are you doing here? I told everyone specifically that we didn't want to be disturbed, damn you!"

He glared hard at her for a moment before shifting his sights to Goku, who had been watching his wife with an uneasy expression. "Kakarrot, you're needed-"

Chichi exploded. "Is the world in danger? Is there some evil monster wreaking havoc? Has Goten died?"

"No-"

"_Then there isn't an emergency!" _

Vegeta snarled at the fanged banshee in front of her, seriously considering giving her the tongue-lashing she deserved when the other Saiyan pulled them apart. "Woah, woah, woah, you guys, let's just calm down. It's the day of love, remember?"

The woman pulled on his ear hard enough to make him gulp. "That's the reason I didn't want anybody disturbing us! Goku, this is one of the few times we can actually- be alone together and I will not have you parading around the planet for favours!"

"If it were up to me, I wouldn't have come here at all," Vegeta interrupted.

Goku gave a sympathetic look. "Bulma?"

Vegeta grunted and turned away. "Dr Briefs is grounded in another country and _Bulma_ wants you to use your instant transmission to bring him home tonight."

"_He is not a goddamn taxi service!_" Chichi started. She pulled in another lungful of air and would have started another tirade if it weren't for Goku piping up.

"What? Bulma's dad's not home on Valentine's Day? That sucks. I guess that's why Bulma's not here, isn't it? Hey honey," he said, his tone high pitched," I won't be two min-"

"NO!"

"But sweetheart, imagine poor Dr Briefs all alone… and Mrs Briefs!" he pleaded. His hands were brought together as he grinned nervously. "And you always point out the old folk in town, saying it's cute how they're still together. Come one, Chichi, two minutes?"

Her eye twitched but she said nothing, a sign that her husband took as a yes. With a grin, he placed his fingers to his forehead and, after a moment of concentration, blinked out of sight.

…

Bulma wiped her lips clean of the sticky pink gloss of her mother's makeup; her mind not actually caring what she looked like for the first time since… whenever. Next to her, little Maron crowed about this fabulous colour eye shadow and Bunny happily complied teaching the young girl how to use it. It managed to make her frown disappear for a while at least.

The blunette checked her watch again. Vegeta should have landed at the Son's at least ten minutes ago, and it does not take ten minutes in IT a couple of times. Anxious about the hold up, she could at least relax about the food. She had sent the young Goten and Trunks to the city with a load of money to look for her parent's favourite restaurant (one of the most expensive in the country, of course). Trunks had text her saying about the ait for the food so even if Vegeta and her father were late, the food wouldn't spoil. She laughed with Bunny when Maron sneezed and blew powder everywhere.

…

One second, he was looking at the back of his wife dark head and the next, he was standing somewhere in an African city in a hotel suite that probably had more rooms than his whole house. Not that he'd care about the money side of things, he was just amazed by the luxurious furniture and high tech comforts.

"Goku? Is it you, lad?" The Saiyan turned around to see Dr Briefs sitting there with a look of awe on his face and his cigarette half way to his mouth. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this Instant Transmission you use, or whatever it's called. And what an interesting attire."

Goku looked down to see he was still dressed in his robe. "Gee, sorry. I'd knock first if I could," he said and scratched his head in a very Goku like manner. "What'cha doing over here on today of all days?"

"Oh, I didn't plan to be, it's just those pesky storms, they never know when you're in a rush." The Dr groaned as he stood up and stretched his back. "But you're here to take me back, are you? If it's not too much trouble, chap, then I'd like to take you up on that offer. Let me just get my things."

…

Dr Briefs was excited to say the least at trying Instant Transmission for the first time, and he packed his small bag with rigour as he rushed to pay the bill too. Goku could hardly hold on to him long enough to head back home, but when he did, he thoroughly wished that the Dr had forgotten his stuff all together.

Chichi's face was a scary shade of pink as she held a black metal stick above her head. He expression was one of complete shock as she could only blink at the bubbling puddle of black on the floor.

"That… was my… best… frying pan…" she whispered.

"Next time, I'll make sure to aim lower", his Vegeta. He was rubbing the side of his head with one eye squeezed shut while his other eyes swivelled back to the new arrivals. "Took you long enough. What were you doing? Admiring the scenery, Kakarrot? I will never, ever, be left with this harpy again!"

"Woah, how long was I gone for?"

The older Saiyan crossed his arms. "Eight minutes. Now stop wasting more time and take us back!"

"Oh, okay," Goku nodded. He put his fingers to his head before slowly pulling them away. "Uh, you guys? The only people in CC I know are all in the same room."

"So what?" Vegeta snarled.

Dr Briefs cleared his throat. "So, my lad, it means that if I were taken back to CC via Goku then I would appear immediately in front of my wife."

"Isn't that the point?" he bit out.

"Not quite yet. I'd rather put on my best suit first."

_Humans_, Vegeta thought. _So picky over every detail. It's maddening. Utterly ridiculous. _

"So, I guess it's the old fashion way," said the old man, fishing out a yellow capsule. "This one should do the trick."

The Briefs men stood outside with Goku wishing them both a happy Valentine's Day (well to Dr Briefs at least). Right before Vegeta climbed into his seat, Goku playfully nudged him in the side. "Hey Vegeta!" he looked over his shoulder to see his stupefied wife rotating the melted handle over and over in her hands before whispering, "Thanks for getting rid of the frying pan. You have no idea how much I hated that thing!"

…

Back at CC, Bulma taped her fingers on her arm anxiously, glancing at the clock every other minute. There was only so much time until her mother would insist on going back to her side of the compound and changing and she wasn't sure for how much longer she could stall her.

…

With his speed, it took Vegeta about fifteen minutes between Kakarrot's and Capsule Corp. In The old mans car it took nearly half twice as long. Vegeta glared out of the window, doing a slow burn on the size of the lump that was beginning to form on his head. It had gotten darker since he had agreed to play deliver boy in this mess- and someone else mess at that and he couldn't wait to just drop the man off and head off somewhere to forget the whole day. He hated holidays.

Dr Briefs glanced at the young man, oblivious to the anti-festive thoughts in the guy's head. "Miserable weather, isn't it? Not the sort you would associate with the most romantic day of the year, eh?"

Vegeta just snorted. Yes, because seeing humans spew out emotions and seeing the only other pureblood in his dressing gown was really the spirit of Valentine's Day.

"I appreciate you helping me out, Vegeta. I really do."

"Hm."

"I never intended to get stuck there. You know, Bunny and I have been together for forty seven years, and not once have we missed a single Valentine's Day? Or Christmas, or birthday." He sighed. "I guess I was so caught up in getting her present, I never thought about how I would give it to her. What do you think of it?"

Vegeta slowly took the black velvet box that was handed to him. Opening it up, he saw a string of pearls of the purest white, all large. It was obviously a choker and from the clasp fell a simple gold chain with a shining diamond the size of a penny swinging at the end.

"You know, there's a reason why I lied and told them I was visiting a friend. There's a cave nearby where I was staying that is said to have a gate to the next world. You know typical fairy tale stuff. Anyway, a legend is told that when just before lovers pass through this gate together, they kiss every diamond in the rock as a gift to couples everywhere. As a man of science, I'm not sure about the whole idea but, when I heard of it… I guess I wanted to get my dear wife one. And she likes pearls anyway."

Vegeta handed the box back and continued to look out of the window. _Diamonds and fairy tales_. _Is there nothing these people will cling onto when it comes to sentimentality? _

"I hope I'm not interfering when I say you and Bulma don't celebrate this day, am I?"His son in law gave him a warning glare, but he ignored it anyway. "But I'm very thankful for you helping me out with mine. And I'm sure Bulma is as well. Perhaps, in some way, this makes up for ten years' worth of forgotten Valentine's!" he chuckled.

The sound of his humour died down after he realised he was the only one laughing. He coughed awkwardly before attempting to end the one sided conversation. "Look, Vegeta, I haven't any right to comment of you and Bulma's whirlwind of a marriage, but what I need to say to you is that you're doing a marvellous job. Despite everything, I can honestly say I've never seen her so happy as when she's with you. To look upon your little girl smiling for no reason… But that's women for you!" he smiled and shook his head. "Thank you… son."

In the corner of his eye, the Dr Briefs watched Vegeta slowly nod, either in response to his praise or to himself, like he was answering his own question deep inside.

…

He'd been gone almost an hour. Dammit how long did it have to freaking take! Maron had already dozed off with her head on the table, cushioned by Bunny's white gloves that she had long removed. Bunny herself was resting her head heavily in her palm, sighing like a 50's Hollywood damsel and dressed the part as well. Only there was no Cary Grant to sweep her off her feet.

"Maybe I should head home, sweetie. I'm feeling a little tired myself." She sighed. She didn't feel tired, just depressed.

"No!" Bulma jumped up from her chair, only to realise how weird she must have looked. "I mean, not before we have a glass or two of wine!"

"Oh I don't know…"

"But… uh…" she stammered. She was running out of ideas. She couldn't offer food, or a film, or going out but how long can you expect someone to sit in a kitchen and heartbroken? Luckily, Vegeta breezed through the door and helped himself to a beer from the fridge. Bulma was watching him flabbergasted, wanting to ask him where the hell he had been.

Bunny's chair screeched as she suddenly stood up. "Oh my! Your sandwich! Vegeta I'm ever so sorry, here let me finish it off now!" The blonde jittered around the wide room collecting everything she had dropped earlier. When she was meticulously working away, Bulma leant across to Vegeta.

"How long does it take to use Goku's transmission. On hour, Vegeta, you've been gone a whole fucking hour!"

"You were the one who sent me to face Kakarrot's mate when you could have gone yourself!" he hissed.

She hissed back. "And my dad?"

"Upstairs, changing." He took a large gulp of beer. "The boy?"

"Trunks just text me, they're on their way back now." She glanced across to her mother to check she couldn't hear. "Just keep her in here. That's all you have to do now Vegeta, please?"

When he nodded once, Bulma smirked and went over to pick up the napping toddler. "Hey, mum, I'm going to put Maron to bed, be back in a few, okay?"

"That's fine sweetie. Oh Vegeta? One layer of beef or two?"

…

Bunny had time to make at least three toasted snacks for our prince. Reluctant as he was to be left alone with her, she had little to say and he wasn't much of a talker at the best of times. Her silence was so abnormal for her and it put him on edge, even when he had known her for a decade now. Then again she was hardly normal even for a human. He was relieved more than anything when, ten minutes after, Bulma came back at last and slightly out of breath. She had a gri on her face that fell the second she saw Bunny putting her white write gloves on.

"You're not going _now_?"

"You and Vegeta probably want to be alone, I understand."

She grabbed the other glove whilst it was half way on. "Come on, I already poured us out a glass of red in the dining room!" Bunny pulled on the rest of the glove and reluctantly agreed to just one glass. Bulma felt like squealing but forced her best poker face. "You go ahead, I'll catch up."

Bunny nodded and ambled down the short corridor until she faced the dining room. She felt bad about behaving like a love sick teenager, but she had only been a teenager when she fell for the older man that would eventually become her husband. All she wanted was to go home and forget how lonely the day had been.

Slowly opening the door, Bunny was in for the shock of her lifetime. The table was set with the best Chrystal glasses and bone china containing the finest food and- champagne! Beside them shone the sparkling silverware that winked in the flickers of candle light, filling the room with a heavenly golden glow. Her eyes were drawn to the window where the clouds had been pulled open like the curtains and nestled in the sapphire blue was a pale moon.

"My love?"

She whirled around to the other side of her room, her dress swinging as if it had a life it its own. Before stood Dr Briefs, he loving husband of forty five years, dressed as dapper as he had been the night they met at a dance. He had been older than her, which her friends that night had thought wrong, but once dance was all it took to know that he was the one.

He offered her the red roses in one hand and with the other kissed her white glove, noting the silk bow at the top.

"Sweetheart, I thought that-"

"I was just a little late in returning. Forgive me, angel. I hope you can understand why I had to leave you." He pulled out the same black box and offered it to her. He smiled at her gasp when her beautiful blue eyes fell on the gift that he had travelled thousands of miles to get. Without a word, he plucked it from her grasp and trailed it around her slender neck. When they faced each other once more, she couldn't help the small tears of joy that leaked from her eyes.

"This is the best Valentine 's Day I've ever had." She honestly said.

Music started to drift in the air around them and without thinking they were in each other's arms and whispering sweet nothings like they've done their whole lives together.

_You're The Reason I'm Living  
>You're the breath that I take<br>You're the stars in my heaven  
>You're the sun when I wake.<em>

Hidden behind the doorway, Bulma peeped at the two old people I the room suddenly stopped becoming her parents and aged back half a century. Before too long, the song would finish and they would dine and she intended to leave them in peace. She entered the kitchen to see her own husband dumping his dirty dish in the sink for someone else to clear up and leant against the table.

"Your master plan worked, I take it."

She nodded softly and placed a delicate hand on his broad shoulder. "It's you who really put the plan into action. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for you."

"The boy helped-" he interrupted. He still hated receiving such deep compliments from her even after all these years.

"Food wasn't necessary, my dad was. And Goku helping doesn't count because I won't hear the end of it from Chichi tomorrow."

He was about to retort with a comment about her brutally murdered frying pan when her eyes caught him. Blue met black as she clung to his crossed arms with nothing but joy shimmering in their depths. Like a rabbit in a cars headlights, he couldn't tear himself away, and it was a while before he realised he body was slowly swaying from side to side in time to the music that pirouetted through the air form down the hall.

_You're The Reason I'm Living  
>Oh, you carry me through<br>All of life's little burdens  
>I'd be lost without you.<em>

The look on her face dragged up the words his father in law had spoken earlier; "_I've never seen her so happy as when she's with you."_ He found himself dropping his arms to allow her body to slide closer and wrapped her arms around his thick neck and dropped her aqua head on his shoulder, still while swaying hypnotically from side to side. Vegeta's own arms enclosed securely around her waist but that wasn't enough to keep her still. He would never dance, but for a few minutes he could actually understand why so many cultures across the galaxy do it. And the one culture that could conjure something as ostentatious as Valentine's Day… maybe he could kind of see it, too.

He didn't dwell on it now, if ever. All he could think of was the one woman who could ever love him and gave him a purpose, if only it was him just standing there as she danced to a love song.

_A long, long time ago  
>When I was down<br>Oh, You picked me up and showed me  
>True love still could be found<em>

_You're the reason I do things_  
><em>You're the things that I do<em>  
><em>You're The Reason I'm Living<em>  
><em>I'd be lost without you…<em>


End file.
